BOOM rah rattles Englishmen
Visakhapatnam: Fast bowling is an art as well as a craft. The best in the business have not come from India, though legends like Kapil Dev, Javagal Srinath and Zaheer Khan kept proving themselves. In Vizag on Saturday, Jasprit Bumrah, answering to the chants of “Boom.. rahhh” from the stands was on fire.
The bearded 30-year-old talismanic speedster was on fire, literally, as he bamboozled the Englishmen to claim six wickets.
After India scored 396, thanks to a brilliant double century from opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, India needed to respond well.
There has been a lot of chatter around spin in this series, which is a pretty long one, comprising five Tests. Having faced humiliation in the first Test in Hyderabad, Vizag was not too far, distance wise.
Yet, if intent had to be shown by team India, despite facing massive crisis in the form of absent personnel – Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli – the way India have bounced back has been good.
There is a sizeable 171 run lead till now at the end of Day 2, more credit should go to Bumrah. There was boom and aah, as the English floundered against his clever bowling. This Test was about James Anderson as well, a man in his 40s who is still plying his trade as a fast bowler.
But then, if India were thinking spinners were going to get them wickets, there was a twist in the tale.
The way Bumrah bowled was fire, fuelled by inner energy, adrenaline and how he liked to see the English batters getting zapped by the variety.
When Bumrah was injured in Birmingham in the Test series in 2022, there was worry. Any back injury for a fast bowler is dangerous.
The comeback becomes harder, with cobwebs of uncertainty clinging to the brain and heart. In Bumrah’s case, his return was rushed. He again had to take a break and returned in 2023 like a brand-new bowler.
The recent ICC World Cup in 2023 was all about Mohd Shami turning in a class act. But then, Bumrah also had to work hard on his return, first in white ball cricket, in the T20 format and then ODIs.
To be sure, the litmus test was pure and pristine Test cricket, which is so riveting. This is where Jasprit Bumrah produced a master class on Saturday.
He showed almost every nuance of fast bowling, swing plus how to rock the batters. If he used the yorker to devastating effect against Ollie Pope, the way he planned the dismissal of Joe Root was enticing and enchanting.
He used the reverse swing, such a delight to watch. To have bowled 15.5 overs and conceded 45 runs and grabbed six wickets was ecstasy.
There are fast bowlers of different types. If Kapil Dev had a long, flowing run up, the leap in the air and then bowled a beauty of an outswinger, Srinath was pacy, his incoming delivery lethal. As for swing master from Pakistan, Wasim Akram, he had that natural left arm bowler’s angle and dangle.
Bumrah is a delight. When he got injured, people blamed his jerky action.
Its unconventional and puts pressure on his back, said experts. Heck, for someone who grew up bowling just like this, to change the bowling action and dynamics was next to impossible. In terms of a run-up, Bumrah is very conservative, short and sweet steps. When he lets the red cherry fly, it makes your heart beat faster.
The guy has solid legs and the way he flows in the follow through is a delight to watch.
On Saturday, the English batters realised Bumrah was potent, had so much variety and tricks, he ran away a brilliant six-wicket haul.
The yorker looked lethal and to see the bails flying was electrifying. Then again, to plot the dismissal of Joe Root and Ben Stokes was a wily Bumrah at work.
Don’t get fooled by that smile. He is an assassin. You gotta love this man, someone who has not feared return to fast bowling across all formats. The Boom is back!
